Six Notes on Life as a Parent

Kids are a necessity to life and a gift from God, even if they do wear us down to a nubbins! Here are a few things I am learning and have learned about parenting!

1. I must hide while on the phone for longer than two minutes

What I have found, is that pointing to the phone and mouthing "I'm on the phone!" while in deep conversation, will quiet the room for about 10 seconds. I actively have to keep moving until I am in the belly of a dark closet or in a remote corner of the garage and there I can stop for a few minutes. Until someone comes thru screaming bloody murder, that is. They seem to always ask me for things like treats, or movies or ipad privileges, cause they know I'm desperate to not be interrupted! Why do emergencies always happen while you're on the phone?

2. Band-aids are often used for physiological ouchies

I didn't really get band-aids unless there was blood when I was kid. I still don't encourage wastefulness of band-aids, however, when my kids were really little, sometimes they got bashed or a red spot and they requested a band-aid through crocodile tears. The price of the band-aid was worth them feeling like they were being cared for. Now, they just help themselves to the band-aid box, and I hope there is a band-aid besides a print of The Incredible Hulk when I need one!

3. It is important for your kids to learn what the index finger means

This sign language should be universal. I use it often when I'm in the middle of a conversation and the kids come up to interrupt. I merely pop up the index finger pointed straight up and pushed close to their proximity, and they usually stop their talk and wait. It's taken a little while for them to get it, but we have made great progress in respecting the power of the index finger!

4. My purse is still a diaper bag, without the diapers and pacifiers

It can be amazing what you find in a mom's purse. Kids are always sneaking stuff in mom's purse. A great place to have something kept safe and not be responsible for it! I get books, water bottles, coats, hats, important papers and snacks, toys, rubix cubes, just to name a few. Now, many times I will catch them in the act of slipping things in my purse, and I will pull it back out, and make them carry it. I opened up my purse once to find not one, not two, but three small Bibles! My husband was guilty of one of them... Who needs to lift weights, when you have that heavy of a bag? My purse is a glorified diaper bag, with no more diapers, or pacifiers...

5. Write down Kids Passwords

I can't remember my own passwords for things half the time. But, it's worse with the kids! Sometimes, we as parents want to sneak up on who they have been talking to or been doing on electrical devices. Plus, they can't remember what their passwords are way to often, write them down and put them somewhere safe!

6. Teaching kids to work, is work!

Oh crum. Yes. Teaching kids to work, is work in and of itself. But, I simply must keep trying and inventing new things to have them do! Many times, it's so much easier to just do it ourselves. Pushing them to do bigger and harder things is something that they will fight you on. But, it will serve them well when they get a job someday that mommy and daddy were "mean" and made them work!
 
~Prudence